Grapevine named ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of grapevine named ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’, primarily adapted to the growing conditions of the temperate regions, and characterized by its medium vigor; semi-erect growth habit; wedge-shaped leaves with medium texture; small cylindrical shaped green-yellow berry clusters with a golden nuance on the sunny side of the berries; early maturing, soft berry flesh with no coloration and neutral taste primarily for winemaking; and resistance to winter temperatures (to −23° C.), resistance to downy mildew and tolerance to powdery mildew.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Vitis×vinifera (hybrid).

Variety name: ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct summer/fall bearing grapevine variety, botanically known as Vitis vinifera, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’.

The new grapevine ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’ is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventors in Udine, Italy. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new grapevine variety particularly characterized by resistance to cold (<−20° C.), resistance to downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola), and tolerance to powdery mildew (Uncinula necator).

The new grapevine ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’ originated from a cross made by the inventors in 2002 in Udine, Italy. The female or seed parent is the grapevine variety Vitis vinifera cv. ‘Sauvignon’ (unpatented), and the male or pollen parent is the grapevine variety Vitis cv. ‘Bianca’ (Eger 2×Bouvier) (unpatented).

The new grapevine ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’ was discovered and selected by the inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 2002 in Udine, Italy. Asexual reproduction of the new grapevine variety by grafting was first performed in February 2004 in Rauscedo, Friuli Venezia Giulia region, Italy, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’ is primarily adapted to the climate and growing conditions of the temperate regions with average yearly temperature about 13° C., minimum winter temperature about −20° C., annual rainfall around 700-1500 mm of rain (e.g. North-Eastern Italy, Friuli). This region provides the necessary year-round temperatures required to produce and maintain a strong vigorous plant with consistent fruit production from April through November on primocanes and in the ensuing year from April through November on the floricanes.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’, which in combination distinguish this grapevine plant as a new and distinct variety.

-   -   1. Medium vigor;     -   2. Semi-erect growth habit;     -   3. Medium size wedge-shaped leaves, with a pale green upper and         lower surface and medium texture;     -   4. Small, dense cylindrical clusters with 1 small size wing;         early maturing, green-yellow berries with golden nuances on the         sunny side of the berries, soft flesh, neutral taste, and no         flesh coloration, primarily used for winemaking.     -   5. Elliptic cross section, brownish color primocanes and         floricanes with no lenticels and short-medium internodes         (10-11 cm) of 10 mm diameter.     -   6. Harvesting time in early September (Middle Friuli,         North-Eastern Italy); and     -   7. Resistance to winter temperature (−23° C.), resistance to         downy mildew, and tolerance to powdery mildew.

Plants of the new grapevine ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’ differ from plants of the parents, Vitis vinifera ‘Sauvignon’ (unpatented) and ‘Bianca’ (unpatented), in the following characteristics described in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parent Varieties New Cultivar Female Parent Male Parent Charac- ‘SAUVIGNON ‘Sauvignon’ ‘Bianca’ teristic RYTOS’ (unpatented) (unpatented) vigor medium medium strong growth Semi-erect Semi-erect semi-erect habit leaf medium size, pale Medium size, green medium size, green color (upper color (upper surface), pale green color surface), pale green pale green color (upper surface), color (lower surface), (lower surface), green color (lower wedge-shaped, circular shape, surface), no hairs medium texture, no medium texture, in both surfaces, hairs in both surfaces prostrate hairs wedge-to-kidney- present in upper shaped, medium surface and in lower texture surface cluster Low size, cylindrical Low size, Low size, conical, with 1-2 middle size cylindrical-conical with 1-2 wings, wings, very dense, with 1-2 wings, medium bunch berry skin with dense, berry skin density, berry skin green-yellow color, with green-yellow with green-yellow soft flesh, neutral color, slightly firm color, slightly firm taste, no flesh flesh, herbaceous flesh, neutral taste, coloration taste, no flesh no flesh coloration coloration primocane elliptic cross section, Circular section, oblate cross and brownish color, brownish color, section, brownish floricane lenticels: absent, lenticels: absent, color, lenticels: short-middle short-middle absent, medium internodes (10-11 internodes (10-11 internodes, cm), diameter: 10 cm), diameter 10 diameter small mm mm (about 8 mm) harvesting Medium (early Medium (Early early (end of time September in Middle September in Middle August to mid- Friuli, North-Eastern Friuli, North-Eastern September in Italy) Italy) Middle Friuli, North-Eastern Italy) resistances resistant to winter Average resistance to resistant to cold temperature (−23° winter temperature not known; C.), resistant to (−15° C.), resistant to downy downy mildew, susceptible to downy mildew, resistant tolerant to powdery mildew, susceptible to powdery mildew, to powdery mildew mildew

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the most similar to the new grapevine ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’ is the female parent ‘Sauvignon’, to which a comparison has been provided above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new grapevine ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’.

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B show a typical fruit cluster of ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’, taken on Sep. 7, 2012 in Udine, Italy.

FIG. 2 shows a typical mature leaf (upper surface, left and lower surface, right) of ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’, taken on Jun. 15, 2012 in Udine, Italy.

FIG. 3 shows a typical mature vine of ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’, taken on Aug. 3, 2012.

FIG. 4 shows a close-up view of typical mature fruit of ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’, taken on Aug. 25, 2012 in Udine, Italy

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’ unless otherwise noted, is based on observations taken during the 2011, 2012, and 2013 growing seasons(s) in Udine (UD), Italy and Fossalon di Grado (GO), Italy, from plants dug from a nursery located in Rauscedo (PN), Italy during the beginning of December 2007 and planted approximately 16 to 20 weeks later in Udine (UD), Italy and Fossalon di Grado (GO), Italy. The phenotypical descriptions and color designations stated for the new variety may vary, depending upon variations in environmental factors, including weather (temperature, humidity and light intensity), day length, soil type, location and cultural conditions. ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), (Edition V, 2007), except where general colors of ordinary significance are used.

‘SAUVIGNON’ Characteristic ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’ (unpatented) GENERAL Resistance to Resistant to downy Susceptible to downy pest/disease mildew, tolerant to mildew and to powdery powdery mildew mildew Resistance to Resistant to winter cold Resistant to winter cold natural elements down to −23° C. down to −15° C. VINE Vigor Medium medium Trunk diameter 6 cm 6.5 cm Bark color RHS 177B Dark brown underbark color RHS 179B Light brown texture n.a. n.a. Canes length Internode length cm 10.5 Internode length about cm 11 width 10 mm 8 mm Shoots shape Semi-erect, elliptic cross Semi-erected, cross section, surface with section: circular, stripes, nodes and surface: smooth, nodes internodes without hairs and internodes without hairs color Internodes with red (RHS Internodes with green 185B) and green (RHS color on ventral and 144B) pigmentation on the dorsal side, nodes with dorsal side and green on green ventral and dorsal the ventral (RHS 144B) side side Tendrils form Bifid bifid color RHS145C and RHS184D Green texture normal normal number 2 or <2 consecutive 2 or <2 consecutive Buds size average average shape round round color RHS139C and RHS181A Light brown number 2/node 2/node time of budbreak medium early-medium LEAVES Size medium medium Number of leaflets 3-5 5 Glossiness Medium-high medium Cross section shape V-shaped V-shaped Color (immature) Upper surface RHS 143B and RH5185B Pale green Under surface RHS 143B and RH5185B Pale green Color (mature) Upper surface RHS 143B Medium green Under surface RHS 143C Darker green Petiole Length (cm) 6.2 6.0 Color (upper RHS 145B and RHS185B green surface) Color (under RHS 145B and RHS185B green surface) Stipule orientation n.a. n.a. FLOWERS Flowering period End of May End of May (time of beginning of flowering) Sex hermaphrodite hermaphrodite Size Average average Diameter (cm) 0.3 (stamens) 0.3 (stamens) Stamen color RHS4 4D Pistil color RHS 149A Fragrance average average Flower number (at n.a. n.a. 3^(rd) node from tip of lateral mean and range) Petals Length (cm) n.a. n.a. Width (cm) n.a. n.a. Overall shape calyptra calyptra Calyptra Color RHS 134A green Sepals Length (cm) n.a. n.a. Width (cm) n.a. n.a. Overall shape n.a. n.a. Color (immature) n.a. n.a. Upper surface Under surface Color (mature) n.a. n.a. Upper surface Under surface Pedicel Length (mm) 7 7 Color RHS 145C green FRUIT Primocane time of September 17th September 7th fruiting (1^(st) pick) Clusters cluster weight Low (g 192) Low (g 230) cluster shape cylindrical conical cluster length mm 180 medium avg. berries per 150 220 cluster avg. clusters per 2 2 shoot Berries Berry size g 1.3 g 1.0 Berry length (cm) 1.68 1.50 Berry width (cm) 1.40 1.50 Overall shape of ellipsoid globose berry Berry Texture soft soft Berry Skin Color RHS 137C green (immature) Berry Skin Color RHS 2C and RHS 154C green (mature, at 19° Bx) Berry Flesh Color RHS 148B Soluble solids (%) 22.6 21.1 Titratable acidity 4.8 5.7 (as g/L tartaric acid) Sugar/acid ratio 4.7 3.7 Firmness soft soft Seeds 2-3 2-3 Seed Color RHS 163B and RHS165A Skin cracking? no rarely Juice color transparent transparent Berry taste Neutral neutral Eating quality n.a. n.a. Berry uses wine wine Shipping quality n.a. n.a. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct grapevine, referred to as ‘SAUVIGNON RYTOS’, as herein described and illustrated by the characteristics set forth above. 